Tensioners for endless drive members such as belts are well known in the art. It is useful to provide a tensioner with some form of damping, so as to inhibit the development of resonance in the tensioner when it is exposed to vibrations in a belt being tensioned. There is a general need for improved damping, as the amount of damping provided by some tensioners is insufficient to prevent resonance under a wide range of conditions.
Additionally, it has been found that some tensioners suffer premature failure due to uneven wear in a bushing that is present between the stationary and pivoting portions of the tensioner. It would be beneficial to address the issue of uneven wear in the bushing.